India: Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant Unit-3 to be Commissioned by Nov 2020

The Unit-3 of Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant (KAPP) in Gujarat is expected to be commissioned and operationalised by November 2020.

The first 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) at Kakrapar achieved criticality (controlled self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction for the first time) on 22 July 2020.

The commissioning and operationalisation of its twin unit, KAPP-4, is expected a year later after the first unit.

The KAPP Unit-3 is the first 700 MW capacity PHWR, a technology mastered by Indian nuclear scientists and engineers. Also, all future sanctioned PWHRs are of 700 MW.

Moreover, five more nuclear power plants – RAPP-7 and -8 (two x 700 MW) at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan; KKNPP-3 and -4 (two x 1,000 MW) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu and 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) -- are scheduled to be commissioned and operationalised progressively by 2024.This will add 3,900 MW nuclear power capacity.